A QR code-based check-in system at condominium guardhouses could soon give Penang’s city councils real-time visibility over short-term rental compliance — a task that has relied on manual inspections and public complaints until now.
The solution, called GovtSTRA Penang, won the RM2,000 top prize at the AI Hackathon for Public Sector 2026, an event organised by Digital Penang and supported by Amazon Web Services (AWS). Fourteen teams from state agencies and government-linked companies competed in the programme, which aimed to build low-code and no-code AI prototypes for public-sector challenges, according to The Star.
“We built GovtSTRA Penang, a solution tackling a real enforcement gap: tracking short-term rental compliance under Penang’s STRA rules, which cap rentals at 180 days a year,” said J. Revin Samuel, a 28-year-old researcher at the Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), the winning team.
The system works by requiring guests to scan a QR code at the guardhouse before entering a property. Their particulars are automatically shared with building management and local councils. The platform then calculates the total operating days for each unit and sends alerts to authorities if it exceeds the state’s annual limit.
Penang introduced its STRA guidelines in 2023, but compliance has been difficult to enforce without a digital tracking mechanism. PCEB’s marketing and communications senior executive Arvind S. Santhaselvan, 25, told the closing ceremony that the absence of a real-time system has been the main obstacle, as reported by Buletin Mutiara.
“If QR code registration is made compulsory before guests are allowed to enter, the process becomes transparent and much easier to enforce,” said Revin, who noted that the prototype was built using Amazon QuickSight, a no-code and low-code platform.
Digital Penang chief executive officer Ng Kwang Ming said the hackathon was designed to shift how public officers approach technology. “The objective was not to produce a perfect product but to build confidence and capability,” he said.
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said in a virtual address that the public sector must strengthen its readiness to adopt digital tools. “AI is not intended to replace humans, but to enhance our capabilities,” he said.
Penang Hill Corporation took first runner-up with a RM1,500 prize, while the State Assembly Department under the State Secretary’s Office (PSUKPP) received RM1,000 as second runner-up. The Penang Green Council finished fourth, while Chief Minister Incorporated received a consolation prize.
Revin said the platform also helps level the playing field for legitimate STRA operators and the hotel industry by ensuring everyone follows the same rules. The prototype will only move beyond the concept stage if the state government decides to adopt it.
